Aidan Marinace Mrs. Cunningham English 10 13 April 2023 The setting of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is essential in highlighting the cultural and socioeconomic conditions of Victorian London. The contrasting settings of the luxurious and the poverty-stricken areas of the city emphasize the duality of human nature. The two settings of the novel expose Victorian class division and problems. With the use of detailed descriptions, the author describes buildings and weather to explore the novel’s grim setting. The differences in setting in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde highlights Victorian London’s Class divisions. The lavish town that Dr. Jekyll lives in is described as clean, lively and respectable while poorer …show more content…
Through these descriptions, the novel emphasizes socioeconomic conditions at the time with higher classes living comfortable lives, lower class citizens struggling constantly in the city’s slums.The setting reflects the connection between specific characters in the novel such as Dr. Jekyll and Edward Hyde. Although Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde are the same people they live completely different lives. Dr Jekyll home is respectable and well kept representing his economic status and personality. “ One house, however, second from the corner, was still occupied entire; and at the door of this, which wore a great air of wealth and comfort, though it was now plunged in darkness” (Stevenson 16) Contrary to the streets of Soho, where Hyde is often seen is grim, frightful and crime-ridden reflecting the current society at the time of the novel. “Two doors from one corner, on the left hand going east, the line was broken by the entry of a court; and just at that point, a certain sinister block of building thrust forward its gable on
Jekyll and Hyde Good vs evil Stevenson presents the idea of duality through the differences between Dr Jekyll and mr Hyde. Throughout the novella, there is a repeated antithesis as the good of Jekyll is compared to the “detestabillity” of Hyde. Jekyll has a highly respectable front and is known for a having a good reputation, however Hyde is infamous he known for being evil and is strongly disliked by all he meets. Hyde is described as “like Satan” and “devilish” empathising his pure evil and his dangerous and deplourable nature. Whereas Jekyll is often described as a respected man and is “well built”.
The dreadful origins of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde is a novella written by Robert Louis Stevenson published in 1886. In the 1880s, one of the leading forms of literature in Britain was called the “Penny Dreadful”. The term “Penny Dreadful” is used to describe a form of cheap serial literature that was targeted toward the masses: these texts often had thrilling plots filled with crime as well as dark undertones. As a result of the popularity of penny dreadfuls at the time, it is no surprise that Stevenson’s novella was heavily influenced by this form of literature. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde’s vivid descriptions of London life.
1)" (Buzwell). The front of the home in which Dr. Jekyll presides portrays the reputable side while, the home of Mr. Hyde signifies the villainous side of the city. The twist is that the wealthy front and the sordid back are the same property. The respectable front of the home is utilized to hide its disgraceful counterpart just as the dual nature in Dr. Jekyll is used to conceal his more primal desires unsuitable in the society.
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, a mystery novella, is told through the eyes of Mr. Utterson, who, in appearance, is described as a “lawyer of a rugged countenance” (Stevenson 1). He is inexpressive and looks as if time has worn him thin. While he is loved by his close friends, he comes across as someone who is reserved. As the story progresses, Mr. Utterson struggles to allow himself to venture away from his traditional rational thinking and begin exploring his curious thoughts. Mr. Utterson holds the values of a Victorian gentleman.
In the article, “Women and Sadism In Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”, Campbell covers the absence of women throughout the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson. Campbell states that some of the reasons of why women seem absent include Victorian censorship, theme of homosexuality, the theme of patriarchy’s failure and the lack of what Jekyll requires to avoid his experiment (the love of a good woman). Although it seems women are absent they are present as inhabitants of the city, defining the cityscape, and receiving all the violence of Mr. Hyde either direct victims or shocked witnesses, some examples being; the little girl, the angry women accusing Hyde of hurting the girl, the housekeeper, the match girl and the maidservant at the window.
In the novella of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, the night time and fog backdrop wherever Edward Hyde showed himself suggested to the alluding of Hydes indescribable physical attributes along with his strong impulses that goes on deep in the human mind, shown through his out lashes on his victims, from his lack of morals and sense of ego and
Hyde the embodiment of Jekyll’s repressed homosexuality, he also represents all of the negative aspects of being a homosexual in the 19th century. The most visible homosexual men in the 1800’s were middle to low class men and outsiders (Evans and Onorato). Hyde lives in the “dismal quarter of Soho” (Stevenson 22) which is described as a “dingy street [with] many ragged children huddled in the doorways, and many women […] passing out, key in hand, to have a morning glass” (Stevenson 23). This shows the reader that Hyde is indeed a man of low standings, which fits the stereotype of the 19th century gay man. Another key point is that Hyde is accused of blackmailing Jekyll by Enfield as he calls Hyde’s house the “Black Mail House”
Jekyll and Hyde practice In this extract, Robert Louis Stevenson has used his description of the setting to create mystery and tension. This can be seen with his use of “great chocolate-coloured pall lowered over heaven” and “here it would be dark like the back-end of evening”. Stevenson’s use of pathetic fallacy and imagery in this extract sets up the mystery of the chapter, as his use of language portrays the gloominess and darkness of the area of London that Utterson is in. This adds to the mystery and tension, as the surroundings are obscured from vision by the weather, thus creating uncertainty within the reader of what is to happen.
As Stevenson was fascinated by Darwin theory of evolution he decided to portray it in his work. Due to the fact that in Victorian times the idea of rationalism was popular and that people weren’t supposed to show their strong emotions their darker sides were repressed and The locked doors and curtained windows of Jekyll’s house form the imagery of a man locking away the truth that lurks inside; Jekyll turning into Hyde is a metaphor of what happens when the unconscious mind is revealed; the murder of Carew symbolizes the repressed mind striking out at the conscious mind. The whole narrative is about unpeeling the layers that hide the repressed desires inside Jekyll Stevenson also uses several narrative points of view to intensify the feeling of a frightening outsider. As Hyde is often narrated in a mysterious way through different characters perspectives which slowly reveals horror a feature used in gothics.
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” because the story takes place in Victorian England we see that the characters have no room for expression of emotions or violence. Everything they do is secret, so the more Dr Jekyll is repressed, the more he wants to be Mr Hyde. The original characteristics of Henry Jekyll are reflected as “...life of effort, virtue, and control” (pg. 172) because, most of his life his vice activities were maintained a secret. According to Jekyll, when evil is separated into one body, one will not know right from wrong because there is no conscious in a being of complete evil which was Hyde for
The novella Jekyll and Hyde tells the tragic story of a battle between good and evil, a battle for total control over the mind and soul. The clash between the pure and impure sides of man: a fight to the finish. It explores the aspect of a person’s good and bad side; holy and unholy, the one who bathes himself in God’s light and the one whom plays with The Devil’s fire. The battle between the good-willed Dr. Jekyll, and his evil persona: the murderous Mr. Hyde. The author, Stevenson, presents this in numerous ways and describes the two conflicting sides well.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde consists of reputation, good vs evil and damage control. In other words, Utterson tirelessly works to prevent his best friend Dr. Jekyll from being dragged into the horrid affairs of Mr. Hyde, and Dr. Jekyll goes through the greatest of lengths to prevent his Hyde identity from being discovered, in order to avoid anyone knowing of his somewhat questionable scientific work and morally despicable behavior. Much of the novel is based on the characters ' reputations, how they have to maintain a good public image, as they are upper class people. The novel takes place in Victorian England and the main characters are all male members of upper class London.
This distinct use of visual imagery creates a stark contrast between two seemingly different personas who will later be revealed to be different sides of Dr. Jekyll himself. The use of environment and setting also aids in distinguishing the two characters. When Mr. Utterson visits Hyde in his home, the surrounding environment is portrayed as a “dingy street” and “a gin palace” with “many ragged children huddled in the doorways” (Stevenson 1689). These images are symbolic of vice and poverty, all of which emphasise the perverse and deviant nature of Hyde as he commits several sins in the novel and is lacking in morals. On the other hand, Dr. Jekyll’s home is often depicted as “warmed by a bright, open fire”, “large”, and “comfortable” (Stevenson 1685), an embodiment of the Victorian outward respectability and “moral”
Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a short novel written by Robert Stevenson, shocking the audience with its sudden twist. Told mostly from the view of Mr. Utterson, Jekyll’s lawyer, he goes through the mysterious connection between Jekyll and a horrible man named Mr. Hyde. In the end of the novel, it is discovered that Jekyll is Hyde, taking a potion to transform into the hideous man. After several transformations into Hyde, Jekyll finally glances into a mirror, seeing a short, hideous and hairy man, much different from the tall and clean Jekyll. In the novel, Stevenson uses mirrors to represent Hyde’s physical manifestation, an object that reflects within the person, and he uses the mirrors to show the unstable duality of the individual's psyche.
The “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” paints a picture of how many battles daily to fight the good and evil within. Stevenson furthermore illustrates the rational and the irrational mindset by contrasting reality with the supernatural. This is one of Stevenson’s finest literary